Chrysochloris (Chrysochloris) asiatica (Linnaeus 1758)

Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn, 2005, Order Afrosoricida, Mammal Species of the World: a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3 rd Edition), Volume 1, Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, pp. 71-81 : 78

Chrysochloris (Chrysochloris) asiatica (Linnaeus 1758)

[Talpa] asiatica Linnaeus 1758 , Syst. Nat., 10th ed., Vol. 1: 53 .

Type Locality: "In Sibiria"; usually taken as Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. See Ellerman et al. (1953).

Vernacular Names: Cape Golden Mole.

Synonyms: Chrysochloris (Chrysochloris) auratus (Vosmaer 1787) ; Chrysochloris (Chrysochloris) aurea (Pallas 1778) ; Chrysochloris (Chrysochloris) bayoni De Beaux 1921 ; Chrysochloris (Chrysochloris) capensis Lacépède 1799 ; Chrysochloris (Chrysochloris) calviniae Shortridge 1942 ; Chrysochloris (Chrysochloris) concolor Shortridge and Carter 1938 ; Chrysochloris (Chrysochloris) damarensis Ogilby 1838 ; Chrysochloris (Chrysochloris) dixoni Broom 1946 ; Chrysochloris (Chrysochloris) elegans Broom 1946 ; Chrysochloris (Chrysochloris) inaurata (Pallas 1777) ; Chrysochloris (Chrysochloris) minor Roberts 1919 ; Chrysochloris (Chrysochloris) namaquensis Broom 1907 ; Chrysochloris (Chrysochloris) rubra Lacépède 1799 ; Chrysochloris (Chrysochloris) shortridgei Broom 1946 ; Chrysochloris (Chrysochloris) taylori Broom 1950 ; Chrysochloris (Chrysochloris) tenuis Broom 1907 ; Chrysochloris (Chrysochloris) visserae Broom 1950 .

Distribution: Western Cape Prov. and Robben Isl northwards along coastal plain to Orange River ( South Africa).

Conservation: IUCN – Lower Risk (lc).

Discussion: Subgenus Chrysochloris . Geographic variation in size and colour appears to be clinal, hence no subspecies are recognized (see Meester et al., 1986), but further study may reveal some valid taxa. The only known specimen of damarensis may have been incorrectly labelled as no Chrysochloris have subsequently been collected in Damaraland, Namibia ( Meester 1974).